In the opening events of the Cosequin Stuart Horse Trials, on Sunday, riders dressed in tall black boots and blazers rode smartly through show jumping courses while athletes in kilts and brightly colored high socks threw a 22-pound stone nearby.

The athletes sporting the kilts are members of the Buffalo Heavies Kilted Thrower Club. The Stuart Trials, an annual horse and rider competition in Victor, invited the Buffalo Heavies in order to put on a special event for their 25th anniversary.

The joining of the two sports events began when Heidi Vahue, organizer of the Stuart Trials, saw the Buffalo Heavies at Bristol Mountain's Fall Festival, last October, the Stuart Trial's spokesperson Amy Blum, said. "Vahue thought the Highland Games would be a fun addition to the show," said Blum.

The Buffalo Heavies are comprised mostly of athletes from the Buffalo area, but also include competitors from Tennessee, Virginia, and Canada. The Highland Games are made up of several events, including Open Stone, Braemar Stone, Hammer Throw, Sheaf Toss, Caber Toss, Weight Over Bar, and Weight for Distance. Most of the events are tests that require the athletes to throw a heavy object over a considerable distance.

One of the founders of the Buffalo Heavies, Timothy Mullally, explained the unusual collaboration of the two sporting events.

"I hosted games at another non-Celtic event last year and the spectators were loving it. They had never seen anything like it before and they were intrigued and entertained all at the same time," Mullally said.

Both of these sporting events originated as preparation and tests for war. Eventing, an equine triathlon of dressage, show jumping, and cross-country jumping, developed in the 1900s. Originally, the equestrian competition served as a test of endurance, obedience, and partnership for the horse and rider pairs of a cavalry. The Highland Games were designed as a tool to select the best warriors from each family tribe or clan in Scotland in the 11th century.

"We're hoping that pairing there two events will call attention to their related historical and cultural origins, as well as, highlighting the variety of athletic skills and abilities," said Blum.

Competitor Kendal Lehari, a frequent visitor of the Stuart Trials who was unaware of the sports' coinciding histories, said, "It seems like a cool idea to bring in more spectators."

The events took place in show rings adjacent to one another, making it easy for spectators to watch both competitions.